[Newsbot]

Title: Ontario's doctors accuse health minister of negotiating in public over OHIP fees
Category: Provincial Politics
Posted By: andyt
Date: 2016-04-22 17:01:34
Canadian

[andyt]

$1:

One ophthalmologist billed what the government called "a staggering" $6.6 million,

Let's say he works 80 hours a week all year, no holidays. That's still $1500 an hour.

[shockedcanadian]

Now that's something. "Negotiating in public". Here's a newsflash, healthcare is Canada IS the public.

I know the concept of transparency is difficult for so many in Canada but this is absurd. No wonder our allies don't trust us...

[OnTheIce]

andyt andyt:

$1:

One ophthalmologist billed what the government called "a staggering" $6.6 million,

Let's say he works 80 hours a week all year, no holidays. That's still $1500 an hour.

We should punish him with higher taxes.

[andyt]

Well, it certainly doesn't sound like he needs a pay increase. We had a similar situation in BC, and those doctors were disciplined and prevented from billing so much. Also opthamologists.

[ShepherdsDog]

My ophthalmologist uses his holidays to go overseas and work in the third world doing cataract surgery. He also funds/supports a few of those clinics out of his own pocket.

[shockedcanadian]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

My ophthalmologist uses his holidays to go overseas and work in the third world doing cataract surgery. He also funds/supports a few of those clinics out of his own pocket.

That's great to hear, but what does that have to do with overbilling or the long term sustainability of the system?

[andyt]

shockedcanadian shockedcanadian:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

My ophthalmologist uses his holidays to go overseas and work in the third world doing cataract surgery. He also funds/supports a few of those clinics out of his own pocket.

That's great to hear, but what does that have to do with overbilling or the long term sustainability of the system?

Yep. That doc in BC was also working in 3rd world conditions - native reserves, but was claiming far more visits than it was humanly possible to do. No working for free for him.

[OnTheIce]

shockedcanadian shockedcanadian:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

My ophthalmologist uses his holidays to go overseas and work in the third world doing cataract surgery. He also funds/supports a few of those clinics out of his own pocket.

That's great to hear, but what does that have to do with overbilling or the long term sustainability of the system?

Who says he's overbilling, you?

[shockedcanadian]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

shockedcanadian shockedcanadian:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

My ophthalmologist uses his holidays to go overseas and work in the third world doing cataract surgery. He also funds/supports a few of those clinics out of his own pocket.

That's great to hear, but what does that have to do with overbilling or the long term sustainability of the system?

Who says he's overbilling, you?

I didn't say he was overbilling anyone. The fact that he works overseas doing noble work is not a reflection about the issue at hand.

Ultimately, this system is not sustainable. Something has to give and/or money taken from other areas.

[Lemmy]

I'm not one to begrudge anyone the salary their skills command and I want Ontario doctors to make world-competitive salaries. But I'd be less bothered by all this if the guy who took home the $6.6M was a cardiologist or a brain surgeon or children's burn specialist instead of an opthamologist.